Konpa Ruins(Revision 473)

You're about to start a pretty long dungeon. Remember that you can save anytime, anywhere, so don't worry too much. Be sure to have a few Herbs in case things get hectic, but also remember that your PP constantly regenerates, so most of your HP recovery should come from Cure spells.

Upon arriving to the Konpa Gate, after a cut scene, you'll need to ring the bell to show the gate keeper the gate pass item you picked up from the PTG. If you haven't visited the PTG yet, you'll need to head back to Patcher's Place and run the course. If you have visited the PTG, earned your card, and wound up selling it, you'll need to buy a Gate Card from an item store's artifact shop. Assuming everything is going according to plan, you'll flash your card and the old gatekeeper will open the gate for you.

Cross through, but bear left and head up the stairs. Follow the cliff around toward his house, but don't bother him. (He's not much company anyway.) Instead, hop over to the tree to your left, climb down, and along this plateau. You'll soon spot an earth elemental Djinni that doesn't want to be captured. Queue up Whirlwind and start blasting the flowers in the little field there. Hit the right flower, and he'll pop up. Simply talk to him.

With that done, climb the tree and hop back to the plateau. Head down the stairs, exit north, and you'll be taken back on the world map. Note that if you ever have to pass through here again, you will need to manually open the gate yourself to get through from the north to the south. Just go into the gatekeeper's house and interact with the yellow switch in the top-right corner that looks like it's attached to an oven. If you pass through again from the south to the north, you will need to ring the bell and flash your card, so you still cannot get rid of it. Be sure to keep that card safe!

After going through the gate, you'll come to a linear path in the world map where you have to trace through a valley. At the end of that will be the Konpa Ruins, sitting there just waiting to be explored. There's nothing going on yet in the entrance, so head up the stairs and enter the ruins.

For this dungeon, Section 1 is your hub. In the exact center of this large room is a door that leads to a single, smaller room that we'll call the Monolith Room. In it is a monolith that you can't read, but you are given a hint that you need to "fit the four petals into the flower" to read it. If you look at the floor, you'll see a picture of a flower with four distinct tiles cut out of it. The south missing title conveniently has a tile just below it that looks like it would fit perfectly. Get near the tile, then cast Move a couple times to drop it into the hole. That fixes one problem but the other three spots are still vacant and no tiles yet to fill them. We'll take care of that.

Back in the hub of Section 1, you're theoretically free to take a branching path leading to multiple doors. However, you'll need to take the paths in a certain order to continue. You can't really get stuck here, but you'll run into a lot of dead ends that are slowly, one-by-one, unlocked as solve other puzzles. We'll get you through in the most efficient order.

Starting from the door you just came out of—that is, the door that led to the Monolith Room—proceed east up the stairs. Follow the ledge all the way through and continue into the last door you come across.

Call this eastern area Section 2. We won't be here for very long at the moment. Go all the way east, following along the southern hallway. You'll pass a barricade to the north made of multiple doors; remember that. For now, just keep going, and enter the door at the end of the hall.

As soon as you enter, you'll see a glowing yellow orb and a hint about the way forward being opened when the orb is moved. Well, as we've done to rocks and tiles, moving stuff is as simple as casting the Move spell. Pull the orb south, which will drop it in a hole and make the room light up.

Exit this room, then go back to the west. That multiple-door barricade now has a glowing yellow stone in front of it. Stand on it, the doors will open.

This next section is full of "islands," tall columns surrounded by an abyss. There are four glowing tiles near statues spread across this room. You can only reach the immediate one at first, so get as close as you can to it. Cast Move, and send the statue over onto the yellow tile. That will create more islands for you to hop on, and more switches waiting to be reached.

Bear left first and move that statue next. After doing so, while you can see a change, you cannot reach the new islands yet, which isn't a problem. Just head back, then hop across the little columns to move the east statue onto its switch. Continue north and move that north statue, and you'll have full access to all the islands. Hop across them to the northwest corner of the room, where you can access a door leading to the next area.

This area is located slightly north of the Monolith Room. You could have already accessed this one, but you would have had to access it from the south, and you wouldn't have been able to do much with it. By coming in from the north, however, you can do a couple things in here. First, you'll want to stand on the tiles on the east and west edges of the room to make a bridge so you won't have to go all the way around again. Next, if you look at the north edge of this room, you'll see another tile for the mural and a path leading into the central abyss. Cast Move as much as you need to in order to drop the tile into the abyss. With that done, hop across the column on the east side of the room, then exit out the east-most door.

You're back in Section 1 now. Enter the Monolith Room and put your new tile into the nearest hole. Nothing more to do here, so exit, then return to Section 4. Go into the door to your immediate left, the central door of the southern three. Back in Section 1, on the ledge above the door to the Monolith Room. Stand on the nearby tile to create a staircase to the west.

Trace your way back to the door of the Monolith Room and head up your new set of stairs. This ledge only has a single door, so enter there.

This hall leads to another large room with a purple orb, similar to the yellow orb you saw on the opposite side of the building. Cast Whirlwind on it, and a bunch of tiles will appear in the lower floor. These tiles act like the flowers from outside: shooting them with Whirlwind will cause them to float upwards. You'll need to plan a path to get to the otherwise inaccessible ledge to the northwest. There is only one way to do it, and if you place yourself correctly, you can do it with only two blasts of Whirlwind.

You might be already able to recognize the pattern: the true path is comprised of six tiles spanning generally east-west, with two of the tiles joining north-south. The third row of tiles (counting from the top) has three tiles extending from the center of the room to the eastern platform. Stand just to the left of them, face right, and cast Whirlwind. If you're in the right spot, you'll trigger all three tiles to rise. Then, quickly take a step to the south to stand on the next row. Push on through to the right, face left once you get to the little hole in the tiles, then cast Whirlwind onr more time.

If you did it right, you'll trigger the other three tiles together. Quickly run around your tiles, climb the stairs, and hop from the ledge across the tiles to the opposite ledge. Head north into the nearby door to the next room.

More flower tiles, with some moveable rocks thrown in just to upset you. Make sure both Move and Whirlwind are on your hot keys, then walk into the main floor. First, Whirlwind the closest three tiles. Hop across them to reach the first large platform, and cast Move to drop the rock down to the floor. Next, we're going to get that treasure chest in the northwest corner. You'll need to only trip six tiles here. Cast Whirlwind to raise the three tiles running north-south just to the south of the treasure. The two additional tiles running east-west under it are red herrings. Cast Whirlwind one more time on the three tiles you did just a moment ago. Hop on them to that medium platform again, but this time hop from there onto your north-south tiles. Hop across, grab your treasure, slide back down to the floor.

Now we need to drop the other rock. First, move your first moveable rock one space to the right and one space down. Then, Whirlwind the three original tiles again, then Whirlwind the three tiles to their east. Hop across your tiles, then to the platform, then to the rock, then the other tiles to get to the second platform. Drop the rock, then slide down to the floor.

Just one more step. Move the first rock two spots up (so it's as far to the top-right as it can go), then move the second rock one spot left (so it's as far to the to the top-left as it can go). Whirlwind your first three tiles again, then Whirlwind the two tiles north of the second rock. Now, you should hop from the ledge to your first set of tiles, then to the platform, then to the first rock, then to the second rock, then to the second set of tiles, and finally to the door to the next area. Man, that was quite a workout, wasn't it?

In the next hall, you'll find a platform with a rotating propeller near it. Stand on it, and it will automatically elevate you to the ledge. Follow that across the hall and to the next area. You'll find yourself back in Section 1. Another elevator is just to your left to give you quick access here so you'll never need to come to Section 6 again. Don't worry about the elevator yet; just go to the right, and you'll find another door to enter. In here is a huge abyss with only a minimal path otherwise. On a nearby platform is another tile for the mural. Move it off there then jump back across.

Exit that little area and ride the aforementioned elevator back down. Enter the Monolith Room and secure your new tile into the west hole.

Just one more tile to go. Exit the Monolith Room, then climb the stairs to the right again. Skip the first door, but jump onto the now-working elevator. When it stops, you'll be at a ledge with only a single door. Enter, and you'll find yourself back in the exact same room you were just at, just on the other side. Drop the tile, get back to the Monolith Room, and position the tile in the final hole. Exit the Monolith Room, climb the east steps, then go on through the first door. Take the next door to your left, and you should be standing over the Monolith Room door yet again. Stand on the statue's hands rather than exiting the ledge this time.

After having a bit of a Matrix-like moment, you'll finally be able to read the monolith. Trace your way to the Monolith Room and check it out. Doing so will make four statues spawn in the corners of the mural. You need to move the statues so they all face the center of the room. This one is pretty easy, because there is a regular pattern. Basically, each statue is 45 degrees clockwise to where he is supposed to be. So, move the bottom-left statue four spots to the right; the bottom-right statue four spots up; the top-right statue four spots left; and the top-left statue four spots down.

Once that is done, the mural itself becomes an elevator. If you positioned the final statue while standing on the mural, you'll probably have to walk off the mural and then back on it to trigger the elevator. Once you rise to the top of the tower, save your game, then take the southwest door.

After taking the southwest door, you'll be on a ledge high above Section 1. Follow the ledge and enter the door you come to, which actually takes you outside. Out here, the area seems pretty large, but you're fairly restricted to where you can go. Follow the stairs and you'll soon come to a familiar cement door with a yellow button in front of it. The Djinni, Jolt watches you as you step on it... don't worry buddy, we'll capture you soon!

Entering the next room seems to be a whole lot of nothing, other than a treasure chest. Open it, and you'll gain a special item called a Grip Crystal. This is an equipable item for an Earth Adept, and gains him or her a special power. Go ahead and equip the crystal on yourself.

The room locks and rearranges itself, as you now have to test how the Grip spell works. Basically, it works like the legendary Hookshot from Legend of Zelda: you can use it to either pull yourself across gaps, or pull small items toward you. You get to test both of those powers right here.

First, descend the newly created stairs, and look at the long things ahead of you. They look like those tall, skinny traffic cones you sometimes see on highways, except they're yellow instead of optic orange. Cast Grip from the Psynergy menu like it's any other spell, then target the far cone. A moment later, you span the gap. Cast it again on the small blue crystal on the other side of the barrier to get possession of it, then cast it a third time to get back to the other side. Get near the gate to unlock the room.

Back outside, let's get that mocking little Djinni. Go northeast from the room you just exited, and you'll see a cone sitting on top of a little spire. Admire the view if you wish, then cast Grip on the cone to your left. The Djinni will start to run, so chase him. Eventually, he'll start running around from you at the top of the building. Chase him clockwise, and he should wind up near a cone in line with you. Cast Grip on that cone, and you'll fly through the air with the greatest of ease... and the greatest of speed, shoulder checking him on the way. He's not happy with that and engages you, but the fight is a simple one. Defeat him and he'll join your party.

Okay, next... double back until you're at the ledge overlooking Section 1 again. Use your new Grip power to span the gap, then head north along the other side. You'll soon come to a door with a red mark over it. Enter and, at the end of a hallway, you will come to a room with a red orb. Use Grip to hop across the platforms, then shoot the orb with a Fireball.

Trace your way back through until you come out of the hall, then continue along the ledge to the west and north. You'll smack into a rock with the same red symbol, though now the symbol is lit up. Hit it with a Fireball, and it will get out of your way. Continue on, then ride the mural down.

Exit the Monolith Room to the lobby. The center statue there is now lit up with the same fire symbol. Cast Fireball on it, and you'll be able to take some stairs down into a basement and to a new area of the dungeon.

You'll find yourself in a multi-colored cave underneath the ruins. The enemies here are no joke, somewhat stronger and angrier than the ones in the ruins. If you've been doing most of your fighting with weapons, you're in for a bit of a surprise: you'll want to bust out magic here.

By now, everyone should have Psynergy attacks that hit multiple targets: you should have Quake or Earthquake, Karis of course has Whirlwind, and Tyrell should have Flare, Flare Wall, or Starburst. Any of those spells that strike multiple enemies will end combat quickly. As long as everyone does a spell, then follows up with weapons, no one should run out of PP.

If you do see it getting a little low here, feel free to hold off the Psynergy for a fight or two. Remember, there is nothing wrong with running around in a circle for a bit to gain back PP, just as long as you're willing to weather a few additional random attacks. Okay, Section 9 is pretty linear. Your first obstacle will come in the second room, where you will have to Grip across a gap: the cone-shaped rocks that look like a stack of candies serve the same purpose as your traffic cones from earlier sections of this dungeon.

Once you gap the first one, you'll go down a little hill, and the path will even out for a moment before going down another hill. Don't take the second hill; instead, on the tiny area that's flattened out, walk over to the west edge, then cast Grip on the cone that is just barely within your reach. You will be on a small plateau where you can drop a rock down a level. Do so, then slide down and Move the rock one more spot to the left.

Double back and Grip the gap again to get back to where the rock was in the first place. Now you can hop from it to where the rock is now, to another plateau. Grip the cone to your north, and you'll be able to grab a treasure chest. Do so, then slide down and continue on through the nearby door. You'll be in a hallway now. Make sure everyone is healed up and full of PP before going through the door at the end of the hall. Also, if you feel like grinding, you might want to take some time now to build up your skill mastery of your new sword you just picked up. You don't necessarily need the skill mastery, but it would help quite a bit to do so.

Follow the door from there and you'll find yourself in another large room. Ignore the little islands and move along the south ledge. After a cut scene, you'll engage into a fight with a trio of rather powerful enemies.

Stealthy Scouts seem innocent enough until about the third or fourth round. There are only three of them and defensively they're no better than what you've been dealing with. However, they hit fairly hard, and they have a few nasty tricks up their sleeves. Begin by ignoring your Djinn and instead use your most powerful group-target Psynergy attacks on Stealthy Scout 2. You'll want to do as much damage as possible with Psynergy early, because at about the third or fourth round, they will begin to throw Psy Grenades at you, which drains your PP. At that point, save all of Karis's PP for Fresh Breeze, and your own PP for Cure and Cure Well.

You should be strong enough with weapons—especially if you picked up the special sword from earlier in Section 9—that you don't need it. Instead, start burning through your Djinn. Cast whatever will help, then summon them back to inflict more damage. If things go bad, use healing items.

The serious problem here is that, as soon the Psy Grenades have been thrown, they will start to use an attack called Paralyzing Shot, which will stun one of your people for multiple rounds. Karis seems to shrug off most of those attacks, probably because of her naturally high agility, but the guys tend to fall victim to them. If Tyrell is stunned, you will not suffer too badly because he's only a mediocre attacker; however, if your character is stunned, not only do you lose your best attacker, you lose Cure spells as well. Whichever party member the Scouts choose to stun, typically they will repeatedly stun that member. So, you won't lose two party members, but you probably will lose that party member for the rest of the fight.

Still, once they're doing that and giving each other Herbs, they are on the ropes. Keep up the offensive pressure and only attack one Scout at a time to eliminate him as soon as possible. All three scouts have identical power and skills, so there is no priority to who you should target. Though, the weakest Scout at this point is probably Stealth Scout 2 since he was in the center of your group Psynergy attacks from earlier. Either way, attack them one at a time, and they should go down in three or four rounds each.

After the cut scene, continue along the path to the right, and take the door there. You'll be in a fairly large room that runs north-south. Head south, and you'll shove a rolling log out of your way. A bit more south and you'll shove another one, but now you're in a large central area that doesn't have an immediate path so you'll have to make one for yourself.

Okay, the first log you shoved into the central chamber (the one running east-west), call that Log 1. After shoving that south, go into the central chamber, then climb up the little stairs to the right. There is a log up there: call it Log 2. Shove Log 2 to the left, then go down the stairs and shove it again to the right. I know that sounds weird, but trust me: basically, the first shove got it into the central chamber, and the second shove got it against the right edge of the chamber. Climb up left to another log.

Call this Log 3, and shove it to the right. Descend the stairs, then shove Log 3 to the left. Shove Log 2 to the left, then shove Log 1 up; they should be now making a reverse L shape if you did it right. Finally, shove Log 3 to the right, and it will rest against Log 2. All three are now making a bridge to get across the central area to the south plateau. Climb the stairs, use the little makeshift bridge you made, and exit the room.

After a cut scene, you'll find yourself in a tiny cave room with only a single exit. Take it, and you'll be outside. After another cut scene, you will gain a fourth party member named Rief. He's a Water Adept with one Djinni.

Before leaving completely, head to the east and climb the rocky stairs there. Continue northeast and you'll find a tree that you can climb, which then can be hopped from to a ledge. Cast Growth on the leaf there, climb it, then head all the way west. Slide down the cliff, and examine the statue there to get fully healed. Finally, enter the door near the statue.

You'll be back in the cave. You can't move around much but you can pick up a fairly valuable treasure. Exit the cave, slide down the plateaus, and exit the area south. You'll finally be done with the Konpa Ruins! And you can finally dispose of your gate card, since you don't need to come back here anymore. At the world map, simply follow the road to the south. There is an area off to the west just before you get to the beach that leads to an area called the Konpa Shrine; that's where you need to go next.

The Konpa Shrine is a single room. Go left and open the treasure chest if you wish, then hop to the platform on the right. The other two platforms are on fire, but Rief has a spell called Douse that will extinguish flames. Cast it, then hop across the other two platforms. Follow the path around and cast Grip on the cone to span the gap. Pick up the summon tablet.

Exit the Konpa Shrine and return to the road. Take the small hill down to the beach, then continue east. Follow it around to the city of Harapa.